Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has asked the Collectors of Baleshwar, Bhadrak, Jajpur and Kendrapada to urgently assess the requirement of additional relief rice for people affected by the recent floods and submit details to the government.
In a letter dated August 20, Special Relief Commissioner Rajesh Prabhakar Patil said torrential rainfall and rising water levels in major rivers had inundated several low-lying Gram Panchayats and villages in the affected districts. Several areas have been marooned, disrupting normal life and forcing people to move to safer locations.
The government has activated community kitchens and emergency distribution networks in the affected areas to provide food and other essential supplies to those hit by the floods.
The district administrations have been directed to ensure that cooked meals are provided at temporary shelters and that rice supplies reach cut-off pockets until the situation normalises and displaced families are able to return home safely.
The Special Relief Commissioner has asked the Collectors to assess the requirement of relief rice based on a provision of 1 kg per adult per day and 500 grams per child below 12 years per day.
The administrations have also been asked to provide details of the estimated number of affected people, the period for which special relief would be required and the consolidated requirement of relief rice in metric tonnes.
The government has further requested the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Department to release the required rice stock on a priority basis. This is aimed at ensuring that relief supplies can be dispatched to the flood-affected districts without delay.
Officials have been directed to continue relief measures until normalcy is restored and affected families can safely return to their homes.
